Baripada: The local forest department has adopted a new approach to protect sal trees on its stretch beside the NH-5.

The authorities have decided to transplant the trees that would otherwise have to be felled for widening a stretch of the highway between Balasore and Jharpokharia.

The trees are being lifted scientifically from the earth using state-of-the-art machines and are being transplanted elsewhere.

Divisional forest officer, Baripada, Swayam Malik said the technology was used for the first time for sal tree transplantation under the guidance of a Hyderabad-based private agency. Under a pilot project, 100 trees would be transplanted and these trees would be put under observation for a month. "If even 80 per cent of them survive, then all the sal trees beside the highway will be transplanted instead of being cut down," he said.

"Within two days, twenty trees have been transplanted in Krushnachandrapur reserve forest area under the Betnoti range. They are lifted after protecting their root balls and are put in another pit dug on the identified patch. We plan to remove 100 trees in a phase-wise manner. Each transplant costs Rs 8,000. The trees would be put under observation for about a month. During transplantion, the trees are given manure and pesticides, apart from water. If the pilot project becomes successful, we will transplant all the sal tress of the area," said Malik.

"At the moment, the money is being spent by the department. If the project becomes successful, then the amount for transplanting the trees will be charged from the National Highways Authority of India," he said.

The department said about 8,000 trees would be affected due to the road widening work and half of them are sal trees. Most of the trees are between 15 and 25 years old and are about 30-40 feet high.